At one point in history, the United States had upwards of 14,000 wooden covered bridges. Most of them were built between 1825 and 1875 to cross a stream or river and were intended to withstand the elements. An uncovered wooden bridge may have a life span of only about 20 years while a covered bridge could stand for more than 100. Even still, they don"t fare well without upkeep and restoration costs can be high. That"s why iron replaced wood as the preferred bridge-building material in the mid-1800s. These days, fewer than 900 of the original wooden covered bridges are believed to still be standing. The A. M. Foster Bridge, seen in today"s photo, can be found in Cabot, Vermont.
A. M. Foster Bridge in Cabot, Vermont
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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National Mushroom Month
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World Oceans Day
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Digging the birds
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Its Halfway Day!
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It s tree-climbing season
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Tour de France
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Old underground cellar, Bavaria, Germany
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In the valley of the doll
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A festival of lights in India
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Tegallalang terrace farms in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
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A big birthday for Big Bend
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Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years
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Take the stairs
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Lick Observatory
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Feature Attraction: 85 years at the drive-in
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Defying gravity on a swing ride
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Step into the dark
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Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona
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Polar bears
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World Sea Turtle Day
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Where the bearded reedling sings
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A tree amid the Tetons
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Milky Way over Zabriskie Point, California
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An improbable tribute for Towel Day
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Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
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Veterans Day
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Kelp buddies
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Mute swans
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Celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day
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Norway s Kjeragbolten boulder